As has been reported earlier, the official visit by Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia started today. The president's Boeing landed in the airport of Jeddah, diplomatic capital of Saudi Arabia.

From the airport the president of Turkmenistan headed for the holy city of Mecca, the spiritual center of the Muslim world where Prophet Mohammad was born. Upon arrival in Mecca in the company of the Saudi king's special envoy, President Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov and members of the official delegation of Turkmenistan visited the holy al-Haram Mosque where he took part in the Friday prayer and performed the umrah rituals. After the rituals traditional meal, sadaka, was offered on behalf of the Turkmen president.

Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov and members of the official delegation also visited such holy Muslim places as Mount Arafat and Mina Valley.

As the State News Service (TDH) reports, tomorrow morning Gurbanguly Berdimuhammedov will leave for the town of Medina, which is one of the holy places of the Islamic world. The prophet's mosque and grave are in Medina. The Turkmen leader will visit the capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, on 15 April. The Turkmen president will hold talks with the King of Saudi Arabia.